Originally Posted by Knobbgb

The slower/cheaper option has always been very popular for Greek domestic travel. I still sometimes use the ferry to get from Athens to Chania in Crete (mainly because of poor connection times with the flights) and it amazes me how there are still 1000+ pax on many of the nightly sailings (there are at least four nightly sailings year-round to Crete from the mainland, each with a capacity for 2000+ pax - rarely full but sometimes almost full). The ferry takes around 9hrs and costs 38 Euro for the cheapest deck ticket, 43 Euro with a reserved seat and about 58 Euro for a bed in a shared cabin. The flight takes 35 minutes and, apart from in high summer, a ticket can usually be had for 50 to 80 Euro even just a few days in advance - less when travelling towards Athens due to the lower airport fees. I've always assumed that it's the Greek tendency to not want to/be unable to plan ahead that leads to this, not just the small saving. Of course, ferries are a traditional part of Greek life whereas trains are not.